The Most Important Intent

"Take a look at your Zanpakuto's release?"

Yoruichi narrowed her eyes slightly, her peripheral vision sweeping over the sword at Kenma's side as a trace of unease rose within her.

A Zanpakuto was a Shinigami's greatest trump card. Its abilities were often strange and unpredictable, impossible to guard against.

The power released by a blade could reverse the vast disparity in a battle, making it immensely important.

Yet Kenma had suddenly said he wanted Saeaya and Kisuke to see his Zanpakuto. That alone made Yoruichi's heart sink.

Her gaze swept across Kenma's face, trying to glean some information from his expression.

But Kenma's calm face revealed nothing at all.

"What bad idea are you plotting this time?"

There was no point agonizing over it, so Yoruichi simply asked.

"Come to think of it, I still don't know what your Zanpakuto's ability is."

"Could it be one of those abilities that can control someone's mind with just a glance? After controlling Saeaya and Kisuke, are you planning to do this and that to them?"

A range of complicated emotions flashed across Yoruichi's face, making her expression exceptionally colorful.

Kenma's face darkened at the sight.

"Yoruichi, be serious. I'm not as terrible as you think."

"Besides, not everyone is as lewd and filthy as you. Please don't insult my character with that kind of thinking."

The moment Yoruichi heard that, she became indignant. "What do you mean, lewd? Filthy? Is it appropriate to use words like that to describe a delicate young woman like me?"

"And you dare talk about character? Where do you even get any character? Even if you did have some, it was probably blackened long ago by that rotten heart of yours."

Kenma pressed his lips together, momentarily at a loss for how to retort.

A delicate young woman?

Yoruichi, did you hear yourself just now?

With the way you acted earlier, what was wrong with calling you lewd and filthy?

Forget delicate—what part of you looked like a young woman?

Kenma had never met anyone so shameless in his life.

Yoruichi seemed to sense what Kenma was thinking and immediately slammed the table, shouting, "You're definitely badmouthing me in your head. My instincts can't be wrong."

"No." Kenma decisively shook his head.

"Stubborn."

Yoruichi did not dwell on such a trivial matter and returned to the most crucial question.

"You insist on letting them see your Zanpakuto, so what exactly is its ability? Tell me, and let me consider it."

Then she added, "As your captain, I order you not to lie, fabricate anything, or conceal and misreport information."

"There's no harm in telling you."

Kenma picked up the Zanpakuto beside him, slowly drew it, and held it horizontally before himself.

The blade was as clear as a mirror, reflecting Kenma's narrow and long Phoenix Eyes.

As his eyes narrowed, an eerie chill gleamed from the blade, enough to make one shudder.

"My Zanpakuto has two abilities. One is Severance, and the other is Connection."

"Severance cuts through anything in the three thousand worlds; Connection links all things, binding their fortunes together."

"What I want Kisuke Urahara and Hachishō Ryo to see is the power of Connection. I want to forge a link with them. From then on, we will share life and fate, and they will be unable to harm me."

That was indeed the most important intent behind Kenma's actions.

He wanted to form contracts with Kisuke Urahara and Soifon.

Those two were destined to become Captain-level powerhouses in the future.

If Kenma could contract them, the improvement to his own strength would be exceptionally obvious.

Kisuke Urahara in particular possessed research abilities unmatched throughout the Seireitei.

Even the two great bosses, Aizen and Yhwach, acknowledged his abilities and were even wary of them.

It would be a great pity to kill such an outstanding figure, yet Kenma would be even less at ease if he let him go.

It would be better to use him for himself.

As long as a connection was formed, those two would be no different from his slaves.

Should they harbor any intention of betrayal, Kenma could crush them to death with a single thought.

Keeping Kisuke Urahara under his watchful eye would also put Kenma more at ease, ensuring that one day Kisuke Urahara would not scheme against him while he remained completely unaware.

Moreover, after contracting those two, they would become a means for Kenma to threaten Yoruichi in the future.

It was killing several birds with one stone.

"After connecting, you'll share life and fate?"

Yoruichi's expression changed drastically. She rose to her feet at once, pointing at Kenma with a trembling finger.

"And you still say you don't have ulterior motives?"

"Once you connect with them, won't you be placing all sorts of restrictions on them for no reason? If you ever have any malicious thoughts, they'll be finished."

"To put it more seriously, if they agree to connect with you, they'll be no different from your slaves!"

Kenma frowned upon hearing this, looking somewhat displeased.

"Yoruichi, I already told you. Your own thoughts are too dark, so you imagine me to be far worse than I am. I'm not as filthy as you think."

"After the connection is formed, I can sense their condition, and naturally, they can sense mine as well. Both sides are equal."

Only, as the owner of the Zanpakuto, he was slightly more equal.

But there was no need to explain such a trivial detail.

"Really?"

Yoruichi was half-convinced.

"You didn't lie to me? Do you dare swear it?"

"Ah, I never thought I would seem so vile in your eyes."

Kenma sighed, a hint of grievance and helplessness surfacing on his calm face.

"I never lie. Besides, you and I are husband and wife. Naturally, I should be honest with you. I would never deceive you."

"If it will make you believe me, then swearing an oath is no problem."

Seeing the expression on Kenma's face, Yoruichi softened somewhat.

Then, hearing the sincerity in his words, she felt even more guilt rise within her.

Could it be... that I really misunderstood him?

Although she wavered inwardly, Yoruichi did not show it.

To ensure Saeaya and Kisuke's safety, she had to force herself to remain firm.

She quietly waited for Kenma to swear his oath.

"I swear to heaven that there was not a shred of falsehood in what I said just now, nor will I deceive Yoruichi. If I break this oath, may I explode and die, my body turning into a puddle of mangled flesh on the spot."

Kenma's expression was incomparably sincere.

Seeing this, Yoruichi finally felt relieved.

Oaths were a matter of personal belief. Some people valued them more than life itself, while others treated them like farting and blurted them out without a care.

From what she knew of her husband, he was an extremely serious person, certainly not someone who made empty promises.

Otherwise, her father would never have favored him, even going so far as to disregard her wishes and force her to marry him.

Naturally, it was because his character was impeccable and he was worthy of trust.

Once Kenma finished swearing, Yoruichi relaxed. She scratched the back of her head, her face filled with deep apology.

"Sorry, I went too far with this... but I had no choice. I couldn't gamble with their lives."

"As long as you can trust me," Kenma said.

It was merely an oath.

The heavens of the Soul Society belonged to the Spirit King. Even if the Spirit King truly cast his gaze upon this matter...

At worst, Kenma could abandon this body, transfer his consciousness into another one, and seize a body to be reborn.

Between the Contractors in the Ninja World and Pirate World, he had nearly six thousand spare bodies available.

More than enough for him to squander as he pleased.

But nothing had happened so far, which meant the Spirit King had not paid attention to such a trivial matter.

"Then... tomorrow, we'll go to the Supervisory Squad and let Saeaya and the others out," Yoruichi said.

The two of them had already been locked up in there for many days, each confined alone. Nothing serious would happen.

There was no harm in making them wait another day or half a day.

Yoruichi suddenly remembered something. "Right, whether they agree to connect with you will depend on their own wishes. I won't force them."

By the end, Yoruichi felt somewhat embarrassed, so she added, "But I'll help persuade them. With me persuading them, I imagine they'll agree."

Kenma nodded. "Of course. This is their own matter, so naturally, they should decide for themselves."

Kenma did not wish to pressure his future Contractors too much either.

It would be best if they agreed willingly.

With Yoruichi persuading her from the side, Soifon was practically guaranteed.

As for Kisuke Urahara, Kenma was seventy to eighty percent confident as well.

If either of them truly failed to appreciate his kindness...

Hmph. Then Kenma could not be blamed for using force.

His current Spiritual Pressure was enough to forcibly connect himself to them.